Thermoplastic Body Protection Shell Over-Moulding for Strong EPS Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing body protections face challenges in achieving a lightweight, cost-effective structural shell with improved adhesion to an expanded polystyrene layer, leading to suboptimal mechanical properties and increased manufacturing costs due to the need for adhesives and complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method involving a thermoplastic structural shell with embedded reinforcing fibers and a close-contact over-moulding process to integrate an expanded polystyrene layer, eliminating the need for adhesives and enhancing structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a non-structural shell made of polycarbonate is used with an expanded polystyrene layer, then the shell provides abrasion protection, but the adhesion between the shell and expanded polystyrene layer is limited and they become detached over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the shell from polycarbonate to thermoplastic material with specific melting temperature characteristics. This parameter change enables the shell to be softened during over-moulding, creating strong adhesion to the expanded polystyrene layer while maintaining abrasion resistance, thus resolving the detachment issue over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure where the thermoplastic shell and expanded polystyrene layer are bonded through over-moulding. The combination of thermoplastic material properties (melting temperature, adhesion characteristics) with expanded polystyrene creates a reliable composite assembly that maintains strong attachment throughout the product lifecycle
2Ease of manufacture
If a structural shell with high thickness is made of plastic material, then the manufacturing cost is low and manufacturing is fast, but the weight is high which is uncomfortable for prolonged wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the structural shell to a maximum of 5mm, optimizing the balance between protective function and weight reduction. This parameter optimization allows the shell to provide sufficient structural strength while minimizing weight, making the helmet comfortable for prolonged wear without sacrificing manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction combining the thermoplastic structural shell with the expanded polystyrene energy-absorbing layer. This composite approach allows the shell to be thinner (maximum 5mm) while maintaining protective capabilities, as the expanded polystyrene layer provides additional impact absorption, thus reducing overall weight while keeping manufacturing simple and cost-effective
3Weight of moving object
If a structural shell is made of composite material, then the weight is reduced and structural protection is sufficient, but the adhesion with thermosetting matrix is not very high and detachments occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material type from thermosetting composite to thermoplastic material. This parameter change is crucial because thermoplastic materials can be softened and reformed, enabling strong adhesion to the expanded polystyrene layer through over-moulding, while still achieving weight reduction and sufficient structural protection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical bonding approach (relying on matrix adhesion) with a thermal-process-based approach. By using thermoplastic material that can be softened during over-moulding, the patent creates a more reliable bond between the shell and expanded polystyrene layer, substituting the weak mechanical adhesion of thermosetting composites with a stronger thermal-forming bond
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method results in a stronger, lighter, and less expensive body protection with improved mechanical properties by ensuring the structural shell and expanded polystyrene layer adhere closely, reducing thickness and weight while maintaining or enhancing strength.
Implementation Method 1
the thermoplastic material is meltable at a predetermined temperature so as to ensure close contact between the structural shell and the expanded polystyrene layer
Implementation Method 2
a layer of reinforcing fibres is embedded in the thermoplastic material which has a maximum melting temperature of 100° C. The reinforcing fibres are stable at temperatures which are equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material
Data Source
AI summary
Manufacturing method of a body protection and resulting body protection, wherein the method comprises producing a structural shell (10) with a maximum thickness of 5 mm, made of thermoplastic material, and defining a concave interior (11) and a convex exterior (12); over-moulding an expanded polystyrene layer (20) overlapping the concave interior (11) of the structural shell (10), producing its adhesion by close contact to the structural shell (10); and wherein the structural shell (10) is produced by means of the distributed placement, in a mould, of a mixture of thermoplastic material and of reinforcing fibres stable at temperatures equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material, the closure and heating of the mould causing the melting of the thermoplastic material without damaging the reinforcing fibres, and the subsequent cooling of the mould, hardening the thermoplastic material with the reinforcing fibres embedded therein.